Sometimes We Learn
by FeelingThePullCallYourName
Summary: Courtney Davis is a young lawyer. She's charged to defend a punk delinquent accused of sexual aggression on a teenager. Even if Duncan is an ex-criminal, she feels that there are some hidden lies in that story. Discontinued.


**A/N: Okay, I have some news for you guys. Some are good, others are not.**

**1. Unfortunately I am not starting any other stories ****until**** the late days of the month of August. I must say I'm really looking forward to school because I will be starting my last year in middle school. I guess that'll be awesome. That means you gotta forget about the following stuff:**

**-22 Dirty Little Secrets**

**-Old Memories, Same Blues Hummed (maybe not this one…)**

**-My Life Would Suck Without You requests**

**-And any other fanfics.**

**BUT! There's this one I REALLY, ABSOLUTELY wanted to do. This is my biggest challenge. Ever. I tried my best to make it good. So I guess it is as good as I'm Sooo Over You but that's you to judge. It won't be updated until I'm done with Fallin' For France though.**

**2. I'm almost done with Fallin' For France and A Way To Forget It (3-5 chapters and it's over) and, even if I had expected more, I'm Sooo Over You will become my first priority because a) I have a lot of inspiration for this and b) I've counted and there will be only 10 or 11 chapters (counting the 2 already thrown)**

**Now enjoy. **

**Review.**

**Be nice.**

**xoxo **

**Kim**

**I don't own it. I DON'T!**

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_If we wouldn't do anything, we wouldn't be anyone._

_―An Education_

**Sometimes We Learn**

That September morning, Courtney Davis thought that would be a day as ordinary as the other ones. Just a simple journey in the life of a Canadian lawyer in the huge city of Montreal. That could have been but for people that might believe in fate, that might be a sign of it.

She woke up as the light started creeping through the white fabric curtains of that two-story house in the comfortable suburbs of the metropolis. It wasn't too late in the morning as it wasn't too early. Rubbing her eyes and running her fingers through her silky brown hair, her still sleepy eyes glanced at the alarm clock that just rang and broke through her peaceful slumber. Three simple numbers were glowing greenly 7:30. Well that was the start of a Monday morning nothing but boring but, as her dear mama would say, better face worse now than face it later. At these well thought words, the young woman crawled off bed.

First she walked slowly toward her wonderful personal washroom that was situated at two steps from her queen size bed. Looking in the perfectly clean mirror, she sighed as she ran her hand through her locks again; she couldn't believe how old she looked. Nevertheless she turned 23 less than three months ago, the former C.I.T. felt like she was in her early forties. Compared to all her friends Courtney was really gone far in life; she was already a credible lawyer, she was the mother of an adorable four year old little girl and she already owned her own house. Yeah, she ought to admit that is the life most of her fellow relatives would have dreamt at her age but, at the bottom of her heart she wished she could be seventeen again. Be the homecoming queen, date the best quarterback of the football team, go to parties... Okay, that was sure she never had any of those things and that was kind of making her glad of it since the queen of her high school, according to the latest gossip, was now working at some lame fast food restaurant. Well maybe Janis Ian was right, we always learn the truth at seventeen and for those who never had a chance to shine at high school will always get more luck than those beauty princesses that had everything once teen.

And beside that, if she didn't have that whole house and that job, would she still have that daughter of hers she loved?

Courtney smiled at that thought as she stepped in the already warm water of the shower. After a few minutes letting the comfort of freshness surround her, she turned off the water and the liquid quickly disappeared. She then walked back in her room, dressed up professionally and stepped quietly toward her daughter's room. Arrived she careful pushed the white painted door to see from not to far her little princess sleeping angelically in her pink bed. For some reason, that broke the prep's heart to wake her up when she was so comfortable in her bed because she knew those lat weeks were sort of a circus for both of them. They were going through a hard period in their lives since Courtney and her husband, also known as April's dad, were waiting for some divorce proceedings. She surely did not know how to announce this to her daughter but what made her panic the most was if April would ask the reason. Courtney wouldn't dare lying to her, especially when that four year old was using those adorable puppy eyes. What she had to do then was hoping April would learn it the latest possible.

The prep tiptoed toward the little angel's bed and knelt next to it, softly sliding a hand down her lighter tanned cheek. The little girl's eyes started to flutter as her loving mom whispered kind words.

"April, sweetheart, it's time to wake up."

April's blue eyes opened gradually as a sweet grin curled her lips. Courtney leaned in and put a kiss on her forehead before exiting the room and letting the responsible child do her stuff.

An hour later the two girls were ready to go. April had on a pretty yellow dress with some cute ballerinas and a white headband to advantage her curly onyx locks and was leaping about gleefully in the house entrance, waiting for her mother to get out of the house. Her red high heels clacking on the ground, Courtney hurried out the front door and walked rapidly toward her car. That was a usual sign for April to follow her and hop in the vehicle, what she did instantly. Autonomously sitting in her own seat, Courtney came after her daughter and fastened the belt. She then installed herself in front of the steering wheel and quickly started the car.

Courtney had dropped April at the daycare center a few minutes ago and was now going to her office. Her work wasn't really hard mentally or physically but it was emotionally. Though that point, she exactly knew why she was doing it, even if she never told anyone the real reason. It is certain she always wanted to defend people but she especially wanted some particular cases. Those cases were really hard to handle for the victims. The prep was working for the people having been sexually aggressed as their lawyer. The reason why she chose to defend this was mostly because she found that kind of crime disgusting but there was a hidden one. In truth, Courtney herself had been raped when she was twelve and it was by someone she especially knew. In her little neighborhood, everyone knew that guy. He was the kind of person with no criminal file, no past and having a simple uninteresting life he shared with his wife and his two kids.

That family was living next door to Courtney and her parents. Their dads were often talking to each other, Courtney was playing with their daughter and their moms were exchanging recipes and garden tips. It was as simple as this until an unlucky February night. Courtney and Janis, the Johnson's daughter, were having a sleepover in the neighbors' basement. When night came and they were both asleep, Mr. Johnson woke up the prep and asked her to follow him for a few minutes. He claimed he wanted to show her something in the little bedroom next to the large in ground living room. Courtney followed, a little curious and, when they were both in, Mr. Johnson locked the door and started walking toward the young girl, stroking her cheek and hair.

"You know, you're a really beautiful girl, Courtney."He whispered scarily. Then slowly, the perverted adult leaned in to kiss the C.I.T. to be but she quickly backed up.

"Mr. Johnson, stop it! I don't want to."She said, disturbed.

"Well, I guess I'm gonna make you want it."Were his last words before he violently pushed the scared teenager on the bed nearby and started kissing her and stroking her with such a force that she couldn't push him away. She was crying, she was begging and she was afraid but it didn't stop him from pulling down her PJs and taking her shirt off. The rest is untellable.

Courtney passed the next days crying her heart out, terribly scared to tell anyone. The worst part was when she had to see Mr. Johnson everyday, who was smiling shamelessly to anyone including her. She was mostly scared to come back at the Johnson's house, even to see Janis though she was her best friend, frightened and fearing the possibility maybe one day he would do it again. A year later, she finally admitted to her dad what did Mr. Johnson to her. It didn't take a long time to take the mature man in front of the justice and get him to jail. He lost his family, he lost his job and he lost his friends, but he will never know how much Courtney felt 10x worse. And he will never know.

It took a long time for Courtney to heal but she finally mostly did. But back then when the judge announced Mr. Johnson's sentence, she knew she was gonna be a lawyer so people like her could finally get justice, and bastards like that man would just get what they deserve. Most of the cases she defended were won, and the best satisfaction she could ever have was this.

The office looked the same way as everyday; crowded, angry and boring. Courtney parked her convertible at her assigned place then took a minute to glance at her in the rear-view mirror. She was still nicely hair-dressed. The prep then hurried out of the car and stormed toward the entrance door of the large building. She took the elevator, punching the button of the 8th floor and waited, being careful not to stare or to talk to the fat man next to her. Her floor quickly came and she left the elevator, relieved the man stopped glancing at each five second period at her butt. She knew men were pervs, but not at this point. Courtney trotted toward her lawyer office, her stilettos making at lot of noise at the contact of the floor. The prep finally pushed the heavy glass door, catching the sight of bold letters spelling _Schneider & Davis_.

Terry, the lazy young blond secretary Schneider just hired, was babbling on the phone about some cat, barely working but faking a smile when she saw the C.I.T. coming in. Courtney knew she had to talk to Hannah about this but as soon she enters the office of her fellow worker and friend, as soon Terry had her ear stuck on the door, listening to every bit of their conversation. That was irritating, but that was none of her business. At least Jason, the one Courtney had hired, was really working. Granted, the guy was still doing some mistakes and was as clumsy as her best friend Bridgette, but at least he was faithful and was trying his best to support her, what most of the people gave up on. She smiled, gripping on her purse, as she walked toward her office and met the dark eyed man.

"Good morning Jason."

"Good morning Mrs. Davis."He greeted back. "Oh and by the way, there is someone that absolutely wanted to see you. He is waiting in your office."

"A new client?"She asked curiously.

"You to see. And here is your morning coffee."

At this answer, Courtney grinned again and took the well decorated mug with a rich delicious dark hot liquid steaming into it. She put a hand on the knob and started pushing.

He wasn't like the normal people she had seen in her office before. He was more the kind who couldn't be trusted. Touching and staring at every single framed picture on her desk, he turned to her and smiled... No, he didn't smile, he actually smirked. He didn't only have a Mohawk going across his black haired head, he also had piercings all over his face and that incredibly blue pair of eyes breaking through the young woman's body. Though he looked sexy as hell (what she wouldn't admit), Courtney wasn't feeling like playing today, so she went to sit t her office whilst talking directly on a dead serious voice.

"May I help you?"

"Wow, if I had known the lawyer was that hot here, I think I would have gone somewhere else since you're such a distraction." He spoke mischievously, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Excuse me mister but I am not here to play. I am defending serious cases here, not a place to babysit."

"Okay, fine, fine."The man sat in one of the armchairs in front of her desk, behind she was nervously sat, and leaned back to place his feet on it. That made the woman frown instantly.

"Get your feet off." She said dryly.

He obeyed before she continued. "So what can I do for you, Mr...?

"Hastings. Duncan Hastings."

She nodded.

"I need you defend me."

"May I remind you I am specialised into sexual aggression? In your case I don't think you've been raped, you're too built for that."Courtney explained, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Aww thanks for the compliment, Courtney."He teased her, what made her frown more even since he had used her first name. "Effectively I haven't been raped."

She held her breath, fearing what might come next. She really didn't know what she would do if it were what she thought it would be. Duncan sucked in a deep, readying himself for his next words. "There's a girl, a teenager, that accused me of rape in her. I know I didn't do it and I am sure she knows it too. What I need you to do is to prove my innocence."

He waited for a reaction, noticing she had been tense since he told her he hadn't been raped. Most of the lawyers don't want to defend people like him, guys that have been in juvie in teenage years. They said for him they were busy or weren't taking anymore cases or were on vacation the next day. Duncan knew it was all bullshit; it truth they were scared to lose. Everyone thought he was guilty, even his own parents had doubts on him, but he knew he was innocent. Now he just had to find someone that would prove it once and for all.

"I'm sorry but I don't think I could do something for you." Courtney lied. The real reason was she didn't want to, that guy reminded her of that man that raped her eleven years ago. The same smirk, the same look, that fucking look. She hated that man and Duncan was looking exactly as that Mr. Johnson.

"Why?" He asked suspicious.

"Because I prefer to defend people that were victims of rape and besides you aren't really credib―"

"No you're scared."Duncan's words broke through her explanation. She lifted her eyes to meet his icy blue ones. He was furious, a little pissed but inside, he was hurt. Hurt no one trusted him. She gave him one more chance and let him keep up. "You're scared I am proven guilty and that I really raped that girl but I didn't, Courtney. I never did and I would never have sex with someone without her content. I am not that kind of man." He then grabbed her wrist and leaned closer to her, at the point of whispering his words. "Please, Courtney, I need you. I need this, I don't want to go to jail, I'm almost done paying for my mistakes. Don't let her ruined what I've built."Duncan was practically begging. That made the lawyer think.

_Maybe he really is innocent. I mean, in the passed years, there were a lot of false rape accusations reported to the police. That might be one of those hoaxes. Why not try? _

_But on the other hand, Bill Johnson was exactly like him. A big shitty liar. And delinquent like him can't most of the time be trusted._

_But maybe he is the only exception._

Courtney was too busy thinking to notice her hand slowly slid into the man's warm one. She fluttered her eyes a couple of times before giving her final decision to the desperate punk.

"I will think of it. Come back tomorrow morning at ten and I will give you my final answer."

"I will." On these words, the punk got up and walked toward the exit door. A step before he was out, he turned back and smiled to the uptight tan skinned woman.

"Thank you again, Courtney. Thank you a lot."

She grinned back. "You're welcome."

As he exited the office, she remembered what aggravated her first. She forgot telling him not to call her by her first name but, suddenly that wasn't a problem anymore.

On his side, Duncan was half relieved by the whole problem. He knew he wasn't guilty and he wanted everyone to know it. It was sure Courtney didn't accept yet, but he hoped she would. He needed it, because that was the last solution.

It was gonna be twenty-four long hours before the decision of his life. Twenty-four hours deciding if he still had a chance to learn.

When he was walking slowly toward the real exit, he heard some footsteps following him, almost running.

"Duncan!" That feminine voice yelled to him. He turned around to notice they were at a few inches away from each other's lips. Courtney quickly broke through that uncomfortable silence, talking what she wanted to say.

"It's okay. I will defend you."

His joy was instant and contagious. He immediately smiled, quickly imitated by the lawyer.

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**Next Chapter coming in awhile... Maybe. That's just a try and if I get more than 4 reviews, that story might continue. **


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